If Only for This Moment
by Hope'sFace
Summary: Set during Journey's End. All of the Children of Time are gathered in the TARDIS celebrating the safe return of Planet Earth. But the Doctor is not feeling all that cheerful. Will he be able to enjoy the moment that he has with his friends. Now extended into chapter story. Blessings-Hope'sFace
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

_**So this is my first Doctor Who Fanfiction. I finished watching Journey's End and I just love the moment when the Doctor and all of his friends fly the TARDIS together and bring the Earth into its rightful place. I felt like that moment needs a little more detail and the Doctor needs his moment to enjoy having his friends with him. **_

_**I do not own Doctor Who, if I did David Tennant would have stayed with us a little while longer. **_

_**So with out further ado….**_

**TARDIS**

The moment that the earth was returned to its spot in the universe was perhaps the most joyous in the Doctor's 904 years. He watched as his dear friends ran around the TARDIS console room exchanging hugs. Sarah Jane, the one who always came back. Martha Jones, the one who got him going again when he was missing Rose. Mickey the idiot, he probably surprised the Doctor the most by crossing parallel worlds and into danger he, at first, stayed away from. Captain Jack Harkness, the man who couldn't die, the fact who felt wrong, but the one who despite it all had found a place in the world. Jackie Tyler…well he could give her the Most Persistent Mother award. His duplicate seemed to be doing fine, regardless of the fact he just committed genocide…the Doctor would have to find a way to help him with his anger issues. Doctor two stuck with Donna mostly, it only made sense, Donna was the first one that he met… Ah, Donna Noble! She was absolutely brilliant that one. She didn't need to be the Doctor-Donna to convince him of that. She saved the world today and had no idea how proud that made him to call her a companion and best mate. There was one though, in the group of friends that permeated the TARDIS, which the Doctor was most worried about. Rose Tyler, the faithful companion, the one who first brought him out of the pit of darkness. _Did she think that she was going to stay? _The thought made both of his hearts break as he had a sudden realization. None of them would be able to stay. As much as they loved him, and he them, they had their own lives to live. He was so preoccupied with this dark line of thought that he did not notice Jackie coming up to him, not until she spoke up.

"Oi, why the long face Doctor? We just saved the Earth, you should be celebrating with that lot," she stated in her matter-of-fact way, gesturing to the joyful group.

He thought a bit before answering, all the while looking at the gathered friends, his Children of Time. "They can't stay Jackie," he began in a melancholy tone. "No matter how many times they return, regardless of how far they come, they can never stay and I am left alone again." Jackie listened, a newly acquired skill for her the Doctor noted. Pete's world must be doing her some good.

"Well then, what are you going to do about it?" The question took the Doctor by surprise and quite frankly confused him a little. He could not do anything about it, they were fixed points in time and its not like he could hold them hostage on the TARDIS forever. As if anticipating these questions Jackie spoke up again. "I mean what are you going to do about it while they are here," she clarified. "You might not be able to have them forever, but they are here, now, and you need to take advantage of that. That way when you are on your own and need a bit of cheering up you can look back and know that there are people out there who think of you. Enjoy them while you can Doctor, and know that you are remembered."

He was speechless. Jackie's heartfelt and meaningful speech took him by surprise, but he knew she was right. "Jackie Tyler, you are just wonderful," he exclaimed as he gave her a hug. And with that he went to join the lively conversation that filled the TARDIS with more happiness then she had felt in a long time. The Doctor had touched all of their lives in the best way possible, but the feeling went both ways as they also had touched his. And for right now they were all together as the Family of Time, if only for this moment.

**TARDIS**

_**There you have it, part one. Reviews are greatly appreciated but please keep them constructive. Thank you for reading. Blessings- Hope'sFace. **_


	2. Chapter 2: Martha Jones

_**Here is Chapter 2. I think I am going to go through the original group of companions and have a conversation that focuses on each one of them… I would really appreciate it if you would express thoughts on the story, it helps me to refine the story and make it better… **_

_**So without further ado…**_

**TARDIS**

As the Doctor joined the group he caught on to a passing remark from Jack to Martha concerning the Osterhagen key.

"Since when was it UNIT's job to create stuff that might potentially destroy all of humanity? I thought they were more of the 'save the human race' sort," Jack commented in his usual snarky manner.

"They didn't come up with the idea," Martha began to explain. "They merely decided that they were going to utilize the technology. If I had more time I would have protested the General's decision to give it to me but we were kind of being taken over."

"So would you have used it?" This was the first time the Doctor had really spoken to Martha the entire time they had been on the TARDIS. He hated to ask her but he really wanted to know. He did not want to believe that she would, this **was **Martha that was talking. She was a doctor; her whole life is focused on saving people. Had her time with him really changed her that much?

Martha did not answer right away and everyone seemed to be holding her breath in anticipation of her answer. Finally she spoke up:

" I didn't want to use it," she began, slowly measuring out her words as she spoke. "I was ranting at the General inside the whole time I made my way up to the station. I did not want to have the whole Earth's death on my conscience, six billions souls lost all because of me. Even though we needed three to make it happen, my choice would have been the final say." She took a deep breath, "so, I had to do one more thing. I had to give the Daleks a choice." At this the Doctor grinned and nodded his head in approval. Here she paused and looked at all of her friends, one at a time, before finally settling her gaze on the Doctor. "I do not know what I would have done had I not been teleported, but I will say this; I chose not to focus on what could have happened, should've happened, or even what expected to happen. I have seen way to many miracles to focus on what ifs. What's done is done and at the end of the day the Earth is still turning, which is what we all wanted. Mission accomplished and that's all she wrote."

At this comment everyone smiled. They would never know whether or not Martha would have actually used that cursed key, but they could not speculate on what ifs. She was right, it all turned out for the best and that is all anyone there could have asked for.

The Doctor was especially glad to hear this. Martha might have become more of a solider, but she was still the Dr. Jones that cared about people and would do anything to ensure their well-being. He smiled and folded his companion into a hug, "Dr. Martha Jones, you did the right thing," he bent toward her ear and whispered, "and I am so very proud of you."

**TARDIS**

_**Let me know what you think. Please Review! Blessings- Hope'sFace**_


	3. Chapter 3: Rose and Jack

_**So, after much soul searching I decided to write the interaction between Rose, Jack, and the Doctor into one chapter. Out of all the companions these three may not have the longest history but they do have a very solid bond. They are like the Three Musketeers of the TARDIS. I also wanted to write the conversation between Rose and Jack about his immortality and Bad Wolf. **_

_**As always I do not own Doctor Who… It is the property of BBC and their brilliant writers. **_

_**Here it is folks…**_

**TARDIS**

The Doctor was in the middle of talking with Mickey and Jackie about their time in Pete's world when the movement of a gray RAF coat caught his eye. It was Jack moving in behind Rose as she was talking with Martha, Donna, and Sarah Jane. He had a water gun aimed at her back and was carefully sneaking up behind her while the other ladies kept her distracted. Finally, when Jack deemed he was close enough, he got her attention with a "Hey Rosie." As soon as she was facing him, he pulled the trigger sending water all over her face. As mean as that was of Jack, the Doctor had to admit the look of shock and amusement on Rose's face was absolutely priceless. It brought back so many good memories of when it was the three of them traveling together. His reverie was broken by Rose's indignant "You will pay for that Jack Harkness," as she began to chase him around the console room. Everyone pretended not to notice as Jack ran all over asking for help, and they all laughed when Rose at last caught up to the Captain, stole the water gun from him and gave him a thorough soaking, no doubt with a help from the TARDIS keeping the gun full.

They all broke into a fit of laughter as Jack enveloped Rose into a hug that ensured that both of them would stay wet for a while.

"Jack you are…" Rose began to say,

"Handsome, charming, sexy," Jack questioned in a smooth, foxy voice.

"More like weird, crazy, and absolutely impossible," she continued.

Jack chuckled and shook his head, "yeah, that seems to be a reoccurring theme."

"Speaking of impossible, since when were you immortal? Or were you always unable to die and simply kept that fact away from us?"

Jack didn't know what to say. He looked to the Doctor, who had come over when Rose asked the question. The Doctor was silent for a few moments, before he nodded saying, "She needs to know Jack."

Rose whipped around, giving the Doctor a confused look. "Know what? Were you keeping something from me?"

"Rose," Jack began, calling her attention back to him. "What do you remember about the game station?"

"Before or after he sent me home," she questioned, pointing to the Doctor.

"After, I'm sure you remember everything before."

"You talk like you don't want me to know," Rose stated, deadpan, with her voice laced with a touch of anger that was so rare for her.

"We don't want you to beat yourself up," the Doctor said. "_**I**_ don't want you to beat yourself up," he amended in a quieter tone, his gaze begging her to understand his reasoning.

Rose sighed, "I don't remember much after I opened the TARDIS and got her to move, I don't even know how the whole thing ended," she admitted. Jack gave the Doctor a sharp look. He hadn't told Rose anything! It didn't surprise him, and he understood the Doctor's reasons, but still. "What happened," She asked, "and do not leave anything out."

"When you absorbed the Time Vortex you gained a lot of power Rose," the Doctor began to explain. "If a Time Lord were to do what you did he would become like a god. It's almost impossible to control. Long story short, after you returned to the game station, you turned the whole Dalek fleet into dust." He paused for a moment to let Rose absorb that information. "But," he continued, "In that process you sensed Jack, lying there dead. You did not want him dead and you willed life into him. But like I said before, the vortex is virtually uncontrollable, and too much time was given back to him, so much it made him immortal."

Rose stood there in shock. "But you said that you absorbed the vortex… OH MY GOSH, YOU ABSOBED IT FROM ME! I KILLED YOU," she exclaimed rather loudly causing everyone to look at her. "And you," she cried, whirling to face Jack, "I don't regret bringing you back but now you have to live your entire life, all of eternity, alone, BECAUSE OF ME. Way to go Rose Tyler. Leave it to me to mess everything up."

"See that's why I didn't want to tell you, that's why I didn't tell her," the Doctor exclaimed, waving his hands towards Rose in an exuberant manner. "I knew you would feel guilty if you knew what really happened." He turned Rose's face to him, and upon seeing the tears in her eyes; he pulled her into a hug. "Don't do that to yourself," he whispered. "You were, and still are, worth it. I didn't have to absorb the vortex but I wanted too. You acted as you always have, out of love and care for the people around you."

Jack then spoke up, joining in the group hug. "You gave me a second chance at life Rosie, and it has come in handy more than once. Think of it this way, when you saved me you saved a many other people. And that is nothing to be ashamed of." Rose broke her embrace from the Doctor and turned to give Jack a bone-crushing squeeze, which he returned with a kiss to the crown of her head.

The Doctor sat back and watched with satisfaction. There was closure here and Rose could go back to Pete's world knowing that one of her best friends was ok. The fact that she had to go back was tearing his hearts in two, but for now he would enjoy the little bit of time they had back. The same for Jack, but the Doctor knew that he would be around long enough if he ever needed him again. Ten was actually rather proud of Jack and how he had gone form ex Time Agent/con man to a respectable leader of Torchwood.

Rose had gone to find a towel so that they could dry off a bit. Jack moved over to the Doctor's side. "Did you mean what you told her," Ten questioned Jack, "that you didn't mind being immortal.

"As long as I have a purpose in helping others, no. I know I can never fully be prepared for what I will face in the years to come, but I think I will take my chances and just make the best of it."

"Make every moment count Jack," came the long expected advice. "Do not waste the time you have been given and don't ever be afraid to care because some things in life are just too precious to miss out on. Promise me that you will do that Jack," the Doctor inquired.

Jack took a moment to study the man standing next to him before replying. If there was anyone in the whole of time and space that was qualified to offer that sort of advice it was the Doctor. He had been a good friend to Jack; doing, as the Doctor asked was the least Jack could do in return. "I promise," he said sincerely.

Just then, Rose came back into the console room and offered Jack a towel. She gave them her signature tongue-in-tooth smile and a wink before turning back to the larger group and using the water gun on Mickey, and in the back of his mind, the Doctor could swear that the TARDIS was laughing along with her Thief and his Children of Time.

_**Yeah, this one is probably going to be the longest chapter. There is just such a great dynamic though between Jack, Rose, and the Doctor. I hope I did it justice. Please review! **_

_**Blessings-Hope'sFace**_


End file.
